Trio carried out terrifying attack over ‘drug debt’
AGANG subjected a man to a terrifying and sustained attack in his own flat over a ‘drug debt’, a court heard.
The victim was hit over the head with a whiskey bottle until it broke and across the legs with a broom handle until it snapped.
The court heard that he also suffered puncture marks from a biro as the trio took turns to beat him.
Lewis Spink, 26, Aidan Ugowe, 18, and Jordan Thomas, 18, launched the attack at the flat in Macclesfield after Thomas, of Garden Close, Macclesfield, found the victim’s younger brother in a Macclesfield underpass.
The court was told that after spotting him, Thomas slammed the younger brother against a wall before grabbing him by the throat and holding a lit cigarette to his eye.
Terrified, he led Thomas to his brother’s flat where Spink and Ugowe joined them.
The attack was over a ‘£635 drug debt’, Warrington Crown court was told.
Ring leader Spink hit him with weapons and threatened to bite his ear off.
Prosecutor Simon Mintz said: “[He] was the victim of a sustained assault in which each defendant took turns to attack him.
“Spink hit him with a porcelain jug until it broke. [ The victim] was screaming but Spink continued, picked up a whisky bottle and hit his head until it broke, hit him with an X-Box controller and on the legs with a broom handle until it snapped.
“[The victim] thought he was going to die.
“Spink said ‘I’m going to bite your ear off so you remember’.”
When Spink left the room, Ugowe, of Great King Street, went in and stamped on [the victim’s] chest while on the floor followed by Thomas who kicked him as he shielded himself. Spink, of Dean Avenue, Cheadle, told the victim his debt had increased to £750 so he could give ‘£50 to my boys’.
The victim suffered bruising and cuts, had puncture marks from a biro and a footprint on his wrist.
All defendants pleaded guilty to assault occasioning ABH following the incident on November 13. Thomas also pleaded guilty to assault by beating.
Ugowe shook his head and Spink shouted ‘he’s lying’ as judge Neil Flewitt sentenced Spink to three years in prison, Ugowe to two years in a young offenders institution and Thomas to 18 months, also in a young offenders institution.
Judge Flewitt said: “It was a sustained and repeated attack. Spink, you were the ringleader and intended to do more harm than resulted. This is an extremely serious example of its kind.”
In mitigation, lawyers said ‘talented musician’ Ugowe and Thomas played sub roles in the attack. Spink, a dad of two, pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and it was his second conviction for violence, the court was told.